The Heron
by Deadly Data
Summary: Thrilling story based on, A White Heron, by Sarah Orne Jewett! Sesshoumaru, Rin, and Jaken wander into the woods in search of a rare bird, the heron. When Sesshoumaru fails to find the bird, Rin wanders off by herself. What will happen to Rin? Please R
1. The Heron

This story was inspired by a short story in _Great American Stories, From Hawthorne to Hemingway._ I did not, I repeat DID NOT, copy the story. After I finished reading it, I imagined the little girl being Rin. So I decided to make this short fan fiction about it. I don't own Inu-Yasha or the story, _A White Heron_.

**The Heron**

Waves crashed gently on the shore, pushing and pulling, small grains of sand. The moon gleamed brightly in the sky, its reflection cast on the shimmering waters surface, along with the endless amount of stars. A brisk wind blew, shifting the tall grass, which divided the beach from the mainland, from erect to askew. The trees' branches cried in the hollow wind, singing songs of sorrow as the green leaves departed from the thick, massive branches. A fire was lit in the depths of the forest, lighting up a radius of about five feet. Shadows danced on the tall trunks of the trees, as the fire flickered under the white moon. A tall girl stood upright near the fire, her shadow followed her example. She placed her hands somewhat above the fire. Her features then, became distinct; her tawny eyes stared directly into the dancing flames. A smaller, but wiser, object sat across from her, closing his eyes. He green limbs embraced a staff, which had a man's head and a woman's head on the top. He opened his big, round, yellow eyes and stared at the child.

"Rin, what in the world are you doing?" He said with uncertainty in his voice. She looked at him; her eyes reflected the fire's bright orange glow. She placed her hands to her side and smiled.

"I'm trying to warm myself up," she paused for a moment, and then continued, "You should try it to, Jaken!" The old toad stared at her blankly, and then he opened him big mouth and let out a hearty laugh.

"Ho, human child, I don't need a fire's flames to keep me warm. I am quite warm as it is!" She stared at him, and then looked at his small arms, which shivered, but only slightly. She then let out a sigh and slowly bent her legs and sat down on the ground. She twirled her tiny finger around a stem of a morning glory and snapped it from the bottom, near its roots. She brought it up to eye level and held it to the light and saw that it truly was a morning glory. A small grin was placed on her face then she twirled it between her thumb and index finger.

Twigs snapped from deep in the forest, its echo penetrated the night's stillness. The snapping came closer and Jaken and Rin's eye grew in worry and then Jaken stood up abruptly. A tall figure appeared in the midst of the deep forest. Rin squinted her eyes as the figures came closer and became clearer.

"Lord Sesshomaru!" Rin said as she stood up, then she ran towards him. Sesshomaru looked at her as she reached him with open arms, and then collapsed upon him. He placed his hand on her back and then grabbed the cloth of her kimono and plopped her down next to him. "Any luck, lord Sesshomaru?"

He shook his head, "No" he said solemnly. Jaken raced after Rin and then looked up at his lord.

"Lord Sesshomaru," he said then bowed, "Did you find the heron?" Sesshomaru shook his head again, his long white hair swayed back and forth. Rin grabbed Sesshomaru's hand and placed the morning glory in it. He looked down at her and then brought his hand up and opened it.

"A flower?"

"Uh-hu, I picked it just for you."

He stared at the flower then turned away. Rin sighed then trotted back to the campsite. Sesshomaru stayed behind and talked to Jaken. Rin laid down ion the floor curled up in a small human ball near the roaring fire and stared at Sesshomaru and Jaken. Their lips moved, but their words were silent. She frowned and then closed her eyes.

"Come, Jaken," he said and walked towards the fire. Jaken sat down on the opposite side of Rin. Sesshomaru walked towards Rin and placed her on his fluffy and then wrapped his arm around her. A small smile was painted on Rin's face as she slept under the abundant stars.

(Please, I encourage you to tell me what you think.)


	2. Part II

The sun rose from the depths of the earth and made way fro the blue sky that was rising along with it. The moon slowly descended into the mountains on the other side of the world, taking the bright shining stars with it. Dew fell several feet from the leaves of trees and once, landed on Rin's face, startling her as she opened her eyes. She fell warmth from under her and slowly bended into a sitting position. Her hand touched Sesshomaru's fluffy and then she smiled. She slowly took of Sesshomaru's hand and placed it inches below his chin. She stood up quietly and stretched. She looked around and saw that jaken, too, was still sleeping. She crept towards the now dead fire and then walked towards the deep forest, headed to the creek, which lead to the ocean. She thought:

_Lord Sesshomaru has been searching for the bird, for a long time now, I think I should help. But if they really wanted my help…They would have asked fro it by now._

She reached a plump root of a tree and jumped over it. She heard the creek from where she stood and knew she was close. She continued walking and thinking:

_I wish I could help Lord Sesshomaru, but I don't think I can…_

She reached the creek and then heard a loud flapping of wings above her head. She looked up and stared as a beautiful white bird with a long neck and slim long legs that protruded from its body. The neck of the bird was curved and its beck seemed able to withstand anything. A few feathers stood upwards, and fluttered in the wind as the bird circled Rin. Rin's lip curled at the sides and then she thought:

_That's it! That's the Heron!_

She slowly jumped over the creek and looked at the bird. Its wings were spread wide, as it glided. Rin watched it, her eyes wide and shiny. The bird glided forward and Rin chased it. She ran as fast as she could to keep up with he bird's quickness. Her small legs occasionally tripped over roots and vines but she kept her balance.

_If I could find out where the bird lives…I could show lord Sesshomaru!_

She raced into the wilderness and continued following the bird.

Sesshomaru looked up at the sky, the moon was overhead, and Rin was no where to be found. Jaken scurried around the campsite looking for her. He knew that if he couldn't find Rin soon, he would surely be sleeping forever.

"Rin! Rin where did you go, you human child!" Jaken said loudly. He felt Sesshomaru stare at him; his cold glance felt like it was burning through Jaken's kimono. Jaken's eyes widened and he shouted again, "Rin, where are you O' lady Rin!" Sesshomaru was satisfied and continued to stare at the dark forest.

Rin trudged up to a tree, the tree where the heron rested. Rin looked up the tree, which was roughly about six stories tall. She sighed and looked at the limbs. The bottom limb was too high for her to reach but, about four limbs up, one meet with a tree branch from the other smaller tree. She smiled and grabbed the shortest tree limb. Her hand was pierced with the bark of the tree and peeled some of her flesh off, reveling a pink wound. She squinted her eyes in pain. She lifted herself up and placed her foot on the branch and balanced her weight on it.

She took small steps and slowly made her way to the other limb. The limb was old, as old as the tree, which stood in its place for over fifty years. She slowly walked to the trunk of the tree and stretched her hand to the next highest limb of the tree. A twig that protruded out of the tree cut her ankle, making blood ooze out slowly. Her leg flinched and she lost balance for a moment. She dug her nails in the branch and made sure she did not look down. Her feet dangled in the air and she tried to fight against gravity. It failed. Her hand slipped and she dangled like a worm trying to get out of a bird mouth. She slowly pulled herself up, and reached for the branch with her other hand.

"A little bit more…," she said to herself,"Just a bit…" Her fingers were only centimeters away from the branch. She grasped the branch finally and pulled herself up with her bloodied hands. She rested on the branch, and looked at her wound. She tore of a piece of her kimono with her teeth and wrapped it around her leg.

She stared up at where she saw the heron rest and she then stood up.

_I must do this, for lord Sesshomaru!_

She climbed up to the top and saw a nest. Yup, indeed it was the heron's nest. By the time she got up the tree her knees and elbows were dirtied and bloody. She groaned but knew it was all worth it. She knew that you have to try to get what you want, that nothing is fee in this life, and that all you can do is try and hope for the best result. She sighed and looked at the ground.

Her eyesight blurred and she felt dizzy. She began to loose her balance, and slipped.

Sesshomaru sniffed the air. "Her blood" he said bluntly. Jaken looked at Sesshomaru, wide-eyed. "Her scent, it's going that way." He said and pointed in Rin's direction. "So much blood…Could she have…" Sesshomaru's eyes widened and he began walking briskly towards the creek and continued to follow her scent…

(To be continued…)

(Please tell me what you think of chapter 2)


	3. Part III

"This way, Jaken," Sesshomaru commanded as he walked faster. Jaken stumbled on his own tiny feet as he tried catching up with sesshomaru.

_Rin, what have you gotten into this time. Why didn't you wait until I woke up to wander off? And why didn't you wake me?_

Sesshomaru hurried and then stopped.

"What is it, master?" Jaken said startled. Sesshomaru held his hand over his nose and walked towards a tall tree.

_The blood, it got stronger here. But there's no sign of Ri—_

Sesshomaru's eyes widened as he rounded the tree. There was a small female corpse on the floor. The leaves below her were bloody and repulsive. She was curled up into a little ball. "Lord Sesshomaru…please help me…please come fore me…" She muttered words without knowing. "Don't leave me…" Sesshomaru knew whose voice that was…

"Rin…" He walked closer to her. And bend down. He placed his hand on her shoulder and felt her heavy breathing. Her eyes were dull and nearly lifeless and her skin got paler and paler.

"Lord Sesshomaru…I found it…the heron…up there…" she pointed at the tree on her last whim of energy. "Lord Sesshomaru…" She said looking at his eyes, dazed. Water began forming for the first time around his eyes she held her hand out and tried reaching his tears so she could whip them off. "Please, don't cry…" her hand fell, abruptly and her eyes were now completely dead, like her soul. Jaken stood behind Sesshomaru, his eyes were wide open.

"Lord Sesshomaru, crying, for a mortal?" he shook his head. "Impossible."

Sesshomaru picked up Rin's body and carried her. His clothing became bloodstained and red. Jaken followed him as Sesshomaru began to walk.

"Don't follow me, jaken."

"Yes, master."

Sesshomaru walked back to the creek, as tears streamed down his well defined cheek bones, and land on Rin's inert face.

Sesshomaru arrived to the creek and washed her face.

"Thank you, Rin..." He said as he kissed her cold, dead lips, tenderly.

**The End**

(Please, tell me waht you think)

* * *

**Note: **In _A White Heron_ by_ Sarah Orne Jewett_ Sylvia, the main character, ends up finding the white heron's nest, but doesn't tell the hunter, who offers her ten dollars if she finds it. She returned home where the hunter is waiting with her grandmother. But she keeps quite, choosing the birds life instead of the money. No one ever dies in that story making my 'version' way different. 


	4. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

The sky was a pale blue, and stretched endlessly across the heavens. Clouds formed, hear and there, disappearing and sometimes getting larger as they collided with other clouds. Below, Seshoumaru continued walking, his bloodstained kimono fluttering in the wind. Jaken walked a few feet behind him, trying not to trigger sesshoumaru into deeper pain.

He said to himself, "I won' forget you, Rin." He unfolded his hand and saw the flower, the blue 'Morning glory' that Rin had given him. He looked at it for a long moment and then gripped it tightly between the palm of his hand, and then he placed it in his pocket. He quickened his pace, and so did Jaken.

Jaken looked at his master, worried at how attached he had become to her, a mere mortal. He shook his head._ His father wouldn't have approved of this, and the fact that he allowed her to follow him is, indeed, a matter to frown upon in itself, _Jaken thought.

* * *

**Authors Notes:**

I decided to continue this. After like five or six months from posting I got my 1000 hits! Not a lot, I know, but I had 986 for a while and it's cool to see this go up. The powers in you hands!

Another thing I'd like to bring up… I felt bad for making people read the "Last chapter, or Chapter 4" even though it was some random things I put up there. So that is why I decided to put something there. The epilogue is fairly short. Please R&R.


End file.
